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Jackson to get extra work against lefties

By
Joey NowakMLB.com

CHICAGO -- The Tigers expect to see a plethora of lefties this week in Chicago -- the first three White Sox starters in the series are southpaws -- which has meant trouble lately for Detroit center fielder Austin Jackson.

Jackson is batting .272 this year after a .300 campaign last season, and just .159 against lefties heading into the four-game set at U.S. Cellular Field.

CHICAGO -- The Tigers expect to see a plethora of lefties this week in Chicago -- the first three White Sox starters in the series are southpaws -- which has meant trouble lately for Detroit center fielder Austin Jackson.

Jackson is batting .272 this year after a .300 campaign last season, and just .159 against lefties heading into the four-game set at U.S. Cellular Field.

"We might have him take some extra hitting off [Ed Hodge] because he hasn't done very well against left-handed pitching, so we're going to tell [hitting coach Lloyd McClendon] to set some stuff up for Hodge to throw to him a little bit," manager Jim Leyland said.

The Tigers brought in Hodge this year for the purpose of throwing left-handed batting practice. Jackson is a career. 292 hitter against righties and a .246 hitter against southpaws.

"Overall, he's got to get it going. That's all," Leyland said. "And he'll get it going."